BATTLEGROUND

Van Johnson, John Hodiak, Ricardo Montalban

MGM/UA; Directed by William A. Wellman

Black And White; Not Rated; 118 minutes; 1949

We follow a band of American soldiers as they engage the Germans in a snowy, foggy winter near Bastogne in World War II. They're low on fuel, rations, and ammunition; the Germans are constantly encouraging their surrender via radio and leaflets, and most importantly, the pervasive thick fog makes movement and identification difficult and prevents their relief by Allied air support. This film focuses much more on the psychology and morale of the soldiers than on action footage and heroics.